Jones Can Say ‘Without Hesitation': Phillips Won't Be Fired … This Year

With the Cowboys on their bye last week, the "PLEASE, GOD, FIRE WADE PHILLIPS ASAP" exhortations softened, and the news of Tony Romo's return to the starting lineup all but stifled the torch and pitchfork crowd. Romo's magical like that.

And this week, nearly a month after Jerry Joneschastised the media for even insinuating that he might can Phillips, the Dallas owner reiterated his stance. Via the Dallas Morning News' Tim MacMahon:

Jerry Jones has guaranteed that Wade Phillips will be the Cowboys' coach for the rest of this season. He can't envision a scenario in which Phillips won't be on the Cowboys' sideline next season.

"There is just absolutely no - I can tell tell you without any hesitation - thought in my mind about him not coaching the Dallas Cowboys in the future," Jerry said. "Past this year. There's no thought. I haven't given that one ounce of consideration."

Jones added, "and by 'future', I obviously mean 'dependent on the outcome of Monday night's game against the Redskins.'"

Okay, Jerry didn't say that, but he didn't exactly give Wade a ringing endorsement for 2009:

"Again, I haven't given it any consideration at all, and his contract is his contract," Jerry said. "When I look at what we've got a chance to do this year, we're all disappointed that we're not further down the road. But I'm just simply saying, I have not given it any consideration."

While Jones isn't saying Phillips is out at the end of the season, he's not exactly reassuring about the current coach's long-term prospects in Dallas. At least that's what I get from "I haven't given it any consideration at all." This from a man who spent much of the off-season obsessed with finding a big-play No. 2 receiver only to finally make a deal for Roy Williams about 14 seconds before the trade deadline.

Yeah, I'm guessing he's considered it and Phillips' ultimate fate will have something to do with the Cowboys making the playoffs. Which is to say: nice knowin' ya, Wade.

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